


Monachopsis

by TheLiteralVoid



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adjusting, Bruce has Anxiety, I've never been to the east or new york so, New York is Overwhelming, Post-Avengers (2012), Present Tense, monachopsis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 16:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11650182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLiteralVoid/pseuds/TheLiteralVoid
Summary: Monachopsis- The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.Bruce is having a hard time adjusting to New York and Stark Tower.(Prompted by my friend.)





	Monachopsis

Monachopsis- The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.

Bruce isn’t used to this. He isn’t used to top-notch tech, his own lab, or A.I. that knows more about you than you do. He isn’t used to big corridors filled with expensive paintings and warm lighting. He isn’t used to having people to talk to and hobbies to stay busy with.  
He’s used to small spaces, living with the minimum of necessities. He’s used to patient after patient, running around, working through a language barrier.  
Bruce is not used to Stark Tower.  
It takes him way longer than it should to get settled in. Everyone else (aside from Hawkeye, who has ‘somewhere to be’) is already moved in. They all have their schedules and their rooms all made up. Bruce, however, has moved his bed across the room three times, reorganized his closet five times, and will not for the life of him sit still and relax. It’s too permanent and quiet, and he’s always on edge. It’s almost a claustrophobic feeling.   
Not to mention that when he is busy in the lab, fiddling around with whatever Tony’s left behind for him, he’s unfamiliar with a good portion of the tech. The machines and tools were upgraded with all the bells and whistles, extra things the Bruce isn’t sure the function of.   
Everything around him is polished chrome, simplistic in design but complex in nature. And Bruce isn’t sure he can ever really get used to that.

One day, a minor threat compromises a government facility, and everybody heads out to take care of it. Bruce stays at the Tower. He wouldn’t be of much use on a mission like this. Everyone decided it wordlessly at the same time. His only superpower is probably more dangerous than whoever they need to stop, so it’s best he stays behind. Besides, even if he came along for moral support, he’d end up sitting it out and watching quietly, ultimately being of no assistance.  
So, he goes up to the roof with a mug of Lemon Balm Tea. It’s starting to get cold outside, so he brings a sweater. For a while, he just looks out over the railing at the cityscape. From this height, New York doesn’t seem as intimidating. At least now he’s eye level with the skyscrapers. The city still seems too big, though. Buildings stretch for as far as he can see; tall, metal blocks. When you’re standing below them, he thinks, it’s very overwhelming. It’s almost like the city could consume you.  
More reasons to stay inside, he supposed.  
It isn’t too bad, right now, though. He actually feels relaxed. The soft breeze, the warm mug in his hand, the soft plush of his sweater… It’s all rather pleasant. So, he stayed there for a bit, looking out to the horizon, wondering what the team is up to.  
He hadn’t realized how long he’d been out there until he hears the door to the roof open behind him. He turns and sees Tony approaching him.

“Hey, how’d the, uh, mission go?” he asks, offering a smile.  
Tony smiles back, confident as ever. “It went amazingly, thanks to my excellent leading.”  
“Your leading, huh?”  
“Yes, my leading,” Tony replies with mock hurt on his face, which soon fades back to neutral. “You enjoying the view, doc?”  
“Yeah, I am,” Bruce replies, looking sideways at the now setting sun. “I think I could get used to a view like this.”


End file.
